Jaguar Conference Focuses on IAF Fleet Readiness
Jaguar Conference at Jamnagar Brings Pilots, Engineers And Technical Teams Together
The Indian Air Force held the Jaguar Operators Conference at Air Force Station Jamnagar, bringing together personnel involved in flying, maintenance and technical support of the fleet. The meeting focused on operational experience, maintenance practices and technical issues linked to keeping the aircraft ready for service.
The conference comes at a time when the Jaguar remains an important part of the IAF’s strike aircraft fleet, even as the service works to modernise some aircraft and gradually introduce newer platforms. India is now the only country still operating the twin-engine Jaguar after other former operators retired the aircraft. The type has been in Indian service since 1979.
For the personnel working with the aircraft, a conference of this kind provides an opportunity to discuss issues that arise during regular operations. Pilots can share flying experience, while engineers and maintenance teams can discuss servicing requirements, technical faults and methods used to keep aircraft available for operations.
The aircraft has a long history with the Indian Air Force. The aircraft was developed in the 1960s by an Anglo-French partnership between the British Aircraft Corporation and Breguet. India became one of its major users and later produced the aircraft under licence through Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The IAF initially received aircraft directly from the United Kingdom before HAL began licensed production in India.
Over the years, the aircraft has undergone several upgrades. One of the most important programmes has been the Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation, or DARIN, series of avionics upgrades. DARIN II introduced improved navigation and mission systems, while the later DARIN III programme was intended to keep selected aircraft useful for many more years. The upgrade path has included modern navigation equipment, mission computers and other avionics changes.
The aircraft’s long service life has also created a continuing need for maintenance planning and access to spare parts. Production of the Jaguar has ended, and India is now its sole operator. In June 2026, reports said the IAF planned to acquire nine retired Jaguar aircraft from the United Kingdom so that usable components and parts could support the existing fleet. Earlier, India had also obtained retired Jaguar airframes from France for use as a source of spares.
Training has been another area receiving attention. In May 2026, a Fixed-Base Full Mission Simulator for the Jaguar was commissioned at Air Force Station Gorakhpur. The simulator programme is part of a contract awarded to HAL for two Jaguar simulators, with the other planned for Air Force Station Jamnagar. The contract included maintenance support for the systems.
Jamnagar has a long association with the Jaguar. The station operates Jaguar aircraft and has been linked with the maritime and strike roles of the type. The IAF’s No. 224 Squadron, known as the Warlords, operates Jaguar aircraft from Jamnagar. The squadron returned to service in 2008 after being re-established with Jaguar DARIN II aircraft.
The conference therefore takes place against a wider effort to maintain an ageing aircraft fleet while improving its capabilities. For an aircraft that has served the IAF for several decades, operational readiness depends on more than the condition of the airframe. Training, technical support, availability of spares, maintenance planning and the ability of personnel to respond to problems all affect how effectively the fleet can be used.
The discussions at Jamnagar also underline the importance of experience within a long-serving aircraft fleet. Much of the knowledge required to operate and maintain the Jaguar has been built over decades of service. Sharing that experience between flying, engineering and technical teams can help identify recurring problems and improve maintenance practices.
The IAF has been gradually moving towards newer fighter aircraft, but the Jaguar continues to have a role while the transition takes place. The service has been upgrading selected Jaguars and extending their useful service life rather than removing the entire fleet at once. Reports have indicated that some older aircraft are expected to leave service while upgraded aircraft continue to operate.
The Jaguar Operators Conference at Air Force Station Jamnagar was therefore more than a meeting for personnel working with one aircraft type. It brought together the people responsible for flying, maintaining and supporting a platform that has remained part of India’s combat aviation inventory for more than four decades.
The conference reaffirmed the Indian Air Force’s focus on operational readiness and on maintaining combat capability through professional training, technical knowledge and cooperation between the different teams working with the Jaguar fleet.
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